The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1887-06-25

forest - on considerable thickness.
On tho top ii consists altogether Of
|! the dccaycd trunks. branches and
leaves. but IL shades downward into
ordinary dark-colored soil, at depth
Of few feet from the surface. This,
the decay zone Of the forest, lies be-
tween the boughs Of the air and the
branches Of the roots. In il 20 on the
most important actions which take
place i'm our forests--actions which af-
feet the history of land and sea. We
shall therefore have Ia consider il I'm a
somewhat painstakiug way. The most
evident effect of this sheet Of decay
ing wood and moss which feeds on the
decay. is on the rainfall OF the region
which il mantles. When. after sea-
son of drought, "A copious rain falls on
this spongy mass, the water is for a
long time absorbed i'm the intcrstices
and does not flow To the rivers. Ever
in times of heavy rain TIE water is
slowly yielded 10 the streams; after
dry period Of many weeks this sponge
retains good share of water. A like
amount OF water falling on titled
fields or prairies slips quickly away to
the rivers and thence to the sea. The
first result Is that when the land is
destitute of forests il sheds water like
house roofs. breeding hoods after every
considerable rain. while in tho forests
the rain is only slowly yielded to the
streams.
A second and less evident result of
the spongy character of the forest bed
is that. by hindering the escape of the
rain-water to the rivers, it increases
the actual rainfall Of the country. To
see the nature asd Importance Of this
action we must 1urn aside for mo-
ment To consi Ter the origin of the
rain which fal upon the land. The
original source of this water supply is
the sea, which sends into the lands a
tolerably regular supply annually OF
moisture. When this falls as rain or
snow, either of the two ihings may
happen-the water may 20 away di-
rectly TO the sea, or IL may return To-
the atmosphere rs vapor. TO be again
precipitated rs rain. The chance of
the Incorporation is determined by
the speed with which il flows to the
streams. From trceless region it
rapidly escapes; In an extensive region
of virgin forest il may again and
again pass from earth to air, aud from
air to earth.
The columns Of vapor, which in
times OF summer rain may be seen
ascending from every great wood, af-
ford visible evidence of the effect of
the forests on rainfall. They also may
show the observer some of the most
beautiful phenomena Of atmospheric
circulation. In summer rain shower
the air above the trees becomes much
cooler than IL is in the recesscs below
their tents of foliage. The heated air
within the woods seeks TO rise and es-
cape in great columns whenever there
is "A wide gap between the branches;
as soon rs il attains the cooler level
above, the moisture is condensed, and
the air, before transparent. becomes
surcharged with steam. To replace
this ascending air broad current
drifts toward the emerging stream of
vapor, commonly from the highest
parts of the forest, where the air, ow-
ing 20 the elevation Of the site. Is cooler
than in the lower levels.
The repeated passage of the moist
ure from earth 20 cloud and from cloud
10 earth. greatly increases the amount
of force which the rain applies in its
falling drops 30 the carth's surface:
but the rank vegetation protects the
surface from the erosion which it
would otherwise bring about. Even
the forest clad hillsides Of the Cum
berland mountains where the soil lies
ON decliyities of great stcepncss, sin-
fer little wear as long as their natural
protection is left To- them. But MS
soon as they are stripped of the gar.
ment of wood which has been upon
the region ever since. in the far of
ages, they came from the depths of
the sea, they wear with great rapid
ity. The erosion is limited, as they
are forest clad. to the stream beds, and
there Is hindercd by the innumerable
obstacles Of the fallen trees and en-
tangled driffwOod. The brooks which
and cut into the earth and rock are
few in number; we may often, on the
flatter ground, find tracts of square
mile or SO in area in which there Is not
"A single stream that ever assails the
surface Of the earth. As soon, how
ever, as the forest mat Is removed, the
surface becomes scanned with chan
nels; they often. on the deforcsted SUR
face, increase one hundred fold in
their length and more than that meas
urc la their destructive power. Re-
lieycd Of all restraint from fallen tim
Der, of the close knit roots which inn
mesh the earth. they sweep precious
soil away toward the sea. In n single
day a titled field may lose from its